How To Process Cacao Pods - Cacao Bean Preparation Guide

1. How do you make cacao pods?
2. How do you make cacao paste with cacao beans?
3. How many times a year are cacao pods harvested?
4. Can you eat raw cacao beans?
5. What can I do with roasted cacao beans?
6. What is the difference between cacao and cocoa?
7. How do you grind cacao beans?
8. How do you know when a cacao pod is ripe?
9. How long does it take for cacao to fruit?
10. How long do cacao pods last?
11. Is cocoa made from the whole cacao fruit?
12. What is the fruit of the cacao tree called?
13. How much are cocoa bean farmers paid?
14. Can I drink cacao everyday?
15. Why does cacao have a warning label?
16. Why cacao is bad for you?
17. Are roasted cacao beans good for you?
18. Is cacao anti inflammatory?
19. Why are cacao beans roasted?

How do you make cacao pods?

It's easier said than done!

1. Peel the pods with a vegetable peeler. Be careful, as they get REALLY slippery!
2. Cut the cacao into small, one-inch pieces. Again, be careful! ...
3. Cut out and remove the dense center layer. The book said to do this because the center layer hardens when it cooks and becomes inedible.

How do you make cacao paste with cacao beans?

If you choose to roast your cocoa nibs, roast them in the oven at 150ºC/300ºF for 10-15 minutes. Add the cocoa nibs and sugar to your blender or high powered food processor and begin to blend. At first you'll end up with a chocolate paste. Continue blending until you start to obtain a liquid, melted chocolate.

How many times a year are cacao pods harvested?

The pods on a tree do not ripen together; harvesting needs to be done periodically through the year. Harvesting occurs between three and four times weekly during the harvest season.

Can you eat raw cacao beans?

The white fruit pulp surrounding the beans is delicious, but when people make commercial chocolate, they discard the pulp and only use the beans. With a fresh cacao fruit like this, you can enjoy the fruit pulp and cacao beans together. The original chocolate is the fruit of the cacao tree.

What can I do with roasted cacao beans?

Here are some ways to add cacao nibs to your diet:

1. Toss cacao nibs into your favorite smoothie.
2. Use them in baked goods like muffins and breads.
3. Blend cacao nibs into homemade nut butters.
4. Stir them into your morning oatmeal.
5. Mix them with nuts and dried fruit for an energy-packed snack.

What is the difference between cacao and cocoa?

The answer is in the heat. Cocoa powder and cacao powder are very similar, the only difference being that cocoa is processed at a much higher temperature (and often packaged cocoa contains added sugar and dairy). ... So, cacao powder is made from fermented beans that have not been roasted.

How do you grind cacao beans?

Scoop 2 tablespoons of the cacao nibs from the food processor to a coffee grinder and grind them for about 15 seconds. Pause for 10 seconds to let them cool, then grind them again for 15 seconds. Pour the nibs into a bowl, scooping out any that are stuck to the bottom, and repeat Step 2 with the other nibs.

How do you know when a cacao pod is ripe?

The color of the thick husk beneath that skin changes depending on ripeness. If you scrape the husk with your fingernail and find green underneath like I did in the photo above, the fruit is unripe. If you scrape the husk and find yellow or white, then it's ripe. And that's that!

How long does it take for cacao to fruit?

Growing a cacao tree — the plant whose pods are made into chocolate — takes patience. It takes three to five years for a cacao seed to become a fruiting tree.

How long do cacao pods last?

The drying process can take up to a week. Artificial drying may be resorted to in countries where there is a lack of pronounced dry periods after harvesting and fermentation, such as Brazil, Ecuador and in South East Asia and sometimes in West Africa. Once dried, cacao beans can be stored for 4-5 years.

Is cocoa made from the whole cacao fruit?

What is Whole Cacao Fruit Chocolate? ... Made entirely and only from the cocoa tree fruit, it is ground cocoa beans and cocoa fruit pulp sugar. This mildly sweet dark chocolate has balanced cocoa notes and a subtle plum like flavor and sweetness. It is a fresh fruit like chocolate tasting experience.

What is the fruit of the cacao tree called?

The word "chocolate" is from the Aztec word, "xocolatl," which means "bitter water." The cacao tree is an evergreen that grows to about 15 to 25 feet. The fruits and flowers of the cacao tree grow directly from its trunk. The tree grows an oblong fruit commonly called a pod, which can be four to 12 inches long.

How much are cocoa bean farmers paid?

The average female cocoa farmer is paid as little as 23p a day, highlighting a gender pay gap in the global chocolate industry, according to Fairtrade. That figure is well below the extreme global poverty line of £1.40 a day, and average farmer pay rate of 75p a day.

Can I drink cacao everyday?

It is very safe to drink cacao on a daily basis. We always advise to listen to your body and find what dose works best to you. In general we like to take some pauses once in a while if we drink cacao daily, to also feel and experience without.

Why does cacao have a warning label?

why is there a california prop 65 warning label on the packaging of your cacao products? ... The levels of Cadmium in our products are well below a level that has been shown to have any adverse health consequence."

Why cacao is bad for you?

Some studies indicate that theobromine may help with coughs – although this is medicinal theobromine. Theobromine-enriched cocoa also impacts blood pressure. Eating raw cacao in excess could be dangerous. For instance, theobromine poisoning has reportedly caused heart failure, seizures, kidney damage and dehydration.

Are roasted cacao beans good for you?

The fiber in cacao beans promotes healthy digestion. Getting enough fiber can help soften your bowel movements, prevent hemorrhoids and help with other digestive conditions. Per serving, cacao contains more heart-healthy flavonoids than red wine. These flavonoids have been linked to improved heart health.

Is cacao anti inflammatory?

Background: Cocoa flavanols have strong anti-inflammatory properties in vitro. If these also occur in vivo, cocoa consumption may contribute to the prevention or treatment of diseases mediated by chronic inflammation.

Why are cacao beans roasted?

Roasting accomplishing a number of things. It helps separate the outer husk from the inner bean and makes cracking and winnowing much easier. It also virtually sterilizes the cocoa bean. This is rather important as the conditions in which cocoa beans are fermented are naturally full of bacteria, fungi and molds.